PERI Rail Climbing System reaches new heights at Katherine Towers

28 June 2018

The complex core geometry at the Katherine Towers project in Sandton saw PERI South Africa deploy its RCS-CL (Rail Climbing System Carriage Light) to reduce crane time and maximise platform sizes for the complex core geometry.

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PERI Rail Climbing System reaches new heights at Katherine Towers_approved

The project was designed by architecture and interior architecture group Paragon, with Trencon Construction as the main contractor, and Sotiralis Consulting as the consulting engineer. The complex multi-cell core structure boasts an architectural scenic shaft opening up in the centre of the building. Here PERI VARIO GT24 wall formwork was used to achieve the necessary quality of the concrete surface finish.

PERI South Africa supplied a complete solution for the flagship project, encompassing design and site supervision and transport, in addition to a range of products and systems to realise the intricately-designed structure.

Located at 46 Katherine Street in Wierda Valley, Sandton, the 21 000 m2 project is being developed by Alchemy as the new Bidvest head office, and is a key element of the new Katherine Street mixed-use precinct. The premium-grade development is within walking distance of both Sandton City and the Sandton Gautrain Station.

It will also offer an additional 12 600 m² of office space for prospective tenants. With expansive views of its surroundings, Katherine Towers is set to become a prominent landmark in the ongoing redevelopment of the Sandton CBD, in which both PERI South Africa and Paragon have played a leading role.

The PERI South Africa team on the project consists of technical representatives Stephen Sprong and Sebastian Burwitz, site supervisor and also project engineer Terry Spronk, and sales representatives Jay Fourie and James Frew. Spronk explains that his on-site presence is mainly to offer support to the contractor in terms of the PERI systems deployed on the project.

These include the PERI SKYDECK and MULTIFLEX slab systems, selected due to the faster slab cycles achievable, a critical factor in this fast-track project, which aims to top-out by August. The balcony slab construction required complex back-propping, including the support of 6.5-m-high feature concrete walls.

These were realised using specialised QUICKSHORE shoring tower up to 10 m high, as well as a combination of GT24 GIRDERS and SRZ walers. PERI TRIO and DOMINO were deployed for the various retaining walls and upstand beams, which are repeated as a main feature throughout the building.

The climbing systems used, in conjunction with the VARIO GT24 wall formwork, consisted of specialised SRU, CB 240, and BR platforms, and an additional RCS-CL. “The RCS-CL has been developed specifically for cores in medium-height buildings leading with limited crane capacities and hook times,” Spronk points out.

Rail-guided climbing ensures that the climbing unit is connected securely to the building at all times, which makes the climbing procedure fast and safe, even in windy conditions. The units are moved by crane, or by means of mobile climbing hydraulics.

“The main benefit of the RCS-CL system is that there are reduced crane requirements for the core, a particular advantage on a highly-constrained site, which also freed up time for related construction activities,” Spronk comments. Other benefits offered by the PERI solution was reduced plywood wastage in the typical flat slab areas, due to the SKYDECK system allowing productivity to be accelerated to meet the demanding 12-day cycle time.

“Our main challenges on this project have been limited cranes, site space, and laydown areas. In addition, there was a specific requirement for concrete work with a high degree of accuracy, with an ultra-smooth finish on all vertical structural elements,” Sprong highlights.

Notes to the EditorTo download hi-res images for this release, please visit http://media.ngage.co.za and click the PERI South Africa link to view the company’s press office.

About PERI South Africa Established in 1969, PERI is the world’s largest manufacturer of formwork and scaffolding. In addition to the parent plant and headquarters in Weissenhorn near Ulm, Germany, it has over 60 subsidiaries and 120 logistics centres. The company employs over 8 100 employees, and generated revenue of €1.3 billion in 2015. PERI Formwork Scaffolding Engineering (Pty) Ltd. is a B-BBEE supplier.